Judge orders stay for Kenneth Ruggles as city seeks appeal

JIM SALEMI

Published
12:00 am EST, Wednesday, December 21, 2011

NEW BRITAIN -- A Superior Court judge ordered a five-week stay for Connecticut Valley Hospital patient Kenneth Ruggles, the Danbury man acquitted of attempting to murder a cop back in 1986 by reason of mental defect or disease. Ruggles is diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

The city of Middletown last week filed an administrative appeal of a state Psychiatric Safety Review Board decision to grant Ruggles supervised temporary release from the facility, which would allow him off the hospital grounds for outside treatment. He would eventually be eligible for residency at the Gilead House with lesser supervision.

The New Britain Superior Court handles all state administrative appeals, according to Michael Rose, an attorney with the Rose Kallor law firm in Hartford, representing the city in the matter.

The PSRB granted a request by Ruggles' psychiatrists earlier this month to receive treatment at the Gilead House and River Valley Services for up to four days a week for six hours per day for six months. After the six-month period, he will be placed on a waiting list for housing at Gilead.

Ruggles' release would be supervised for both the first and second phase of the release, though to a lesser extent for the second phase.

The city sought the stay as it pursues an appeal of the decision to release Ruggles.

Deborah Mabbett, assistant district attorney for the Danbury Judicial District, is appealing the PSRB's decision to release Ruggles.

Mabbett has been involved with the Ruggles since at least 2004, when he applied for, and was eventually granted, a request to be transferred to a less secure building on the CVH campus. Ruggles was confined to the Whiting Forensic Institute on the campus, a high-security facility for the criminally insane, until 2004, when he was transferred to the less-secure Dutcher Hall.

Psychiatrists at the Whiting Institute testified at the 2004 hearing that Ruggles was not a threat to himself or others, according to hearing transcripts. But Mabbett objected to the move, saying she was concerned that Ruggles did not acknowledge he had a mental condition. Doctors testified at the hearing that Ruggles believes his condition is caused by a lack of religious faith, according to hearing transcripts.

Mabbett did not return phone calls by press time.

Attorneys for the city filed a freedom of information complaint last week, alleging that only one member of the PSRB was present for the meeting, and the decision was made in executive session. That caused concern for Middletown Mayor Dan Drew.

"I understand and accept the authority of the PSRB, but it's imperative that if the [PSRB] is going to release people under law, I want to make sure it's followed fully...If they are responsible for making that decision, I want to make sure all evidence is seen and considered by its members...My first responsibility as mayor is to protect the community," he said. Drew said it is also his hope that communication between the review board and city could improve. According to attorneys, the city did not learn of the Nov. 7 and 18 meetings until Dec. 6.

Ruggles is alleged to have tried to kill Bethel police officer Michael Daubert in 1986 after Ruggles was handing out fliers on the Bethel Post Office steps, advertising his bid to become Governor. Ruggles, according to papers filed by attorneys, contended at the time that government officials, including Officer Daubert, were communist agents and he had to "take over."

Ruggles stalked Daubert for approximately three months, hiding in the woods behind Daubert's home, he learned what kind of car he drove and the officer's habits, such as unbuttoning his jacket after leaving restaurants so he could have access to his gun. Ruggles also kept detailed journals of Daubert's habits and movements. He wrote in his journal that he would try to kill the officer in front of a day care center so Daubert would hold back return fire out of concern of hitting a child. He also wrote he would fire the first round or rounds into his right arm to disable him from returning fire. He would then shoot him two more times--in the chest and head. The journal also revealed that he planned on putting a bomb in Daubert's car. He also wrote that he would follow Daubert into a grocery store, put the barrel of a .45 CAL handgun to his back, and kill him if he turned around.

On May 8, according to documents, Ruggles learned where Daubert was patrolling, got into his car and intentionally ran a red light. After Daubert pulled him over, Ruggles got out of his car and shot Daubert in his right arm. He then shot him in the chest and then again in the face. Ruggles was about to fire another round into Daubert's head when another officer arrived and arrested Ruggles, according to documents.